Philips Airfryer

If you’re a big fan of fried nosh, then look no further than the new Philips Airfryer. Compact, super easy to use and amazingly easy to clean – what’s not to like? For our test dishes, we made chips (of course), and even though we didn’t read the instructions properly first time around (bad habit we know), they turned out surprisingly well. Our subsequent batches were even more successful; crispy, golden and very tasty – we didn’t feel too guilty about the accompanying mayonnaise either! The Air Fryer is fast – around 12 to 15 mins (with a quick shake of the basket halfway) cooks enough chips for four people and it doesn’t make the kitchen hellishly hot like the oven – a bonus in summer. We also cooked homemade nuggets, kibbe, ratatouille, roasted veggies (including roasted tatties) all with good results. You can even bake quiches and brownies in the Airfryer, using the little oven dish provided. Literally, you just prepare the food, pop it in – and wait.

Pros: Fast and healthy, it uses 80 per cent less fat than conventional frying, so it’s great for getting the children’s meals ready. Plus you can’t burn the food because it operates with a timer. We will never buy frozen chips again!

Cons: None really. Although you do need to make sure the very small amount of oil required is evenly distributed over the food, else you don’t get that all-over crispy and lovely result.Dhs899 (black/white/lavender) Dhs999 (silver), available at all major appliance stores (Carrefour, Geant, Al Ghandi). For more information visit www.philips.ae.

Kenwood Cooking Chef

Our mums had Kenwood mixers. Our grannies too, if we recall. The hardwearing and pretty much foolproof Kenwood Chef has been a mainstay in family kitchens for years – but we bet granny didn’t have one that cooked food at the same time. Just slightly bigger in size than the normal Kenwood Chef – to say the Kenwood Cooking Chef is all-singing, all-dancing, is not doing it justice. Sure, it mixes, but depending on which attachment you slot in, it also chops, blends, dices, kneads, beats, whisks, makes and rolls out pasta, grinds coffee and spices, juices, minces, to name but a few. It also cooks using its built-in, ultra-safe induction plate, stirring at the same time if necessary – think beautifully melted chocolate, effortless risottos and stews, perfect choux pastry, even steamed veg and rice. In fact, barring roasting, there’s very little that it can’t manage.

Pros: Turns everyone into a domestic goddess (or god). Multi-tasks, so it’s great if you’re short on space or time.

Cons: At Dhs5,990, it certainly doesn’t come cheap. Attachments are bought separately, too.Dhs5,900, available through Jashanmal and selected retailers. For more info visit www.ae.kenwood.com.